Feria de Zaragoza held its second Organizing Committee meeting yesterday at the Conference Center for the 18th edition of FIGAN, the International Trade Fair for Animal Production, which will take place from March 16 to 19, 2027, at the fairgrounds. The meeting served to review the event's commercial progress and agree on the main lines of work for the coming months.

The committee, chaired by Ramón Alsina, President and CEO of bonÀrea Agrupa, includes the main companies and organizations in the livestock sector: AGRAGEX, ANAGAN, ANCOPORC, Asescu, Spanish Business Association of the Animal Health and Nutrition Industry (VETERINDUSTRIA), Spanish Association of Egg Producers (ASEPRHU), National Association of Breeders of Select Aragonese Rasa Sheep (ANGRA), National Association of Breeders of Select Pigs (ANPS), National Association of Pig Producers (ANPROGAPOR), AVIANZA, CESFAC, Spanish Cluster of Pig Producers (i+Porc), FAS Horse Breeding, Editorial Agrícola, Exafan, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zaragoza, Feagas, Government of Aragon, Grupo AN, ICEX, Insavi, INTERCUN, Interporc, Lonja del Ebro, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Spain, Piensos Costa, Nanta, Premier PIGS, Provacuno, Sahivo, Sol Piensos, DSM, University of Zaragoza, and Grupo Vall Companys.

This edition also welcomes CONAFE (Confederation of Spanish Friesian Associations) to the Organizing Committee. CONAFE is the national entity that coordinates Friesian breed associations in Spain. Its work focuses on the genetic improvement and selection of the breed, managing the Herd Book, genetic evaluations, morphological classification, and milk recording.

International Presence

Nine months before FIGAN, the fair already has 520 registered exhibiting brands and 25 new companies registered. The 19 countries with confirmed participation to date are Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Once again, FIGAN will promote its international mission program to attract livestock producers and importers of agricultural machinery. The program is developed in collaboration with ICEX trade offices, specifiers, and producer associations in the target markets. Currently, the main participating countries for this edition are Argentina, Ecuador, Jordan, Mexico, Romania, Brazil, Guatemala, Libya, Portugal, Turkey, Tunisia, Colombia, Honduras, Morocco, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela—a list that is expected to expand in the coming months.

Technical Improvement Competition and Excellence Award

The FIGAN 2027 Technical Improvement Competition was another topic discussed during the meeting. The competition will recognize the most innovative proposals in the sector in two categories: Technological Improvement (for products or systems that represent a significant improvement over what already exists on the market) and Technological Innovation (for those that bring real innovation to the functions or procedures of livestock systems and techniques). The registration period will remain open until October 2026, while the jury's decision will be announced in November of the same year. The competition rules will be released soon.

In parallel, FIGAN is launching the sixth edition of its Excellence Award, aimed at livestock companies that demonstrate an outstanding level in the development of their activity, with special attention to innovation, sustainability, and the application of demonstrable technical advances. The main new feature of this edition is that applications will be submitted in video format, with a maximum duration of ten minutes, structured around four sections: company information, livestock activity, environmental sustainability and economics, innovation, and regulatory compliance.

Both events share the same calendar and jury, chaired by Carlos Buxadé Carbó and composed of representatives from the Official College of Veterinarians of Zaragoza (ICOVZ), the University of Zaragoza, the Official College of Agricultural Engineers of Aragon, Navarre, and the Basque Country (COIAANPV), and the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM).

New platform for exhibitors

FIGAN 2027 incorporates a completely revamped exhibitor management platform. The new tool offers a clearer and more intuitive interface and centralizes all necessary management tasks in a single environment.

The platform also allows each company to manage its brand image, with personalized accreditations for each team member and a notification system that keeps exhibitors informed at every stage of the participation process.

Commitment to generational renewal

Committed to the present and future of livestock farming, FIGAN continues working to address the challenges facing the sector, particularly the generational shift. Therefore, the fair will strengthen its initiatives aimed at attracting young people, highlighting the professional opportunities offered by the livestock sector, as well as its capacity for innovation and development. Among these initiatives, FIGAN Conecta Talento will once again be a key platform for fostering connections between companies and the next generation. The event will hold its eighteenth edition from March 16 to 19, 2027, at the Feria de Zaragoza (Zaragoza Trade Fair). The event will be open from 10:00 to 19:00 on March 16, 17 and 18, and from 10:00 to 16:00 on the 19th. With preparations already underway and positive commercial development, FIGAN 2027 faces its next edition with the aim of continuing to be the major meeting point for the livestock sector in southern Europe.